The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) thinks the age of Patreon and Kickstarter might offer something useful for self-publishers.

The alliance recently announced a campaign called Self-Publishing 3.0, which encourages independent authors to build a sustainable business by creating a digital presence that supports multiple revenue streams.

Why 3.0? ALLi says the shift represents the next wave for the industry since the rise of desktop publishing and print-on-demand technology in the 1990s made it possible for writers to self-publish. The arrival of the e-reader (particularly the Kindle) created a second wave. The third wave, says the group, emphasizes independence though side businesses such as online teaching, subscription services, and direct sales via author websites.

“Consumer trends like the rise of personal branding, mindful consumption, and mobile phone reading are combining with digital publishing tech to create more favorable conditions than ever before for author-businesses,” ALLi founder Orna Ross said in the news release. “But only authors who have developed an independent, creative, and empowered mindset, who understand the value of their intellectual property, can benefit from these opportunities.”

Some ALLi members have seen their sales through online retailers drop dramatically, making a more independent approach essential, Ross noted in a post on ALLi’s Self-Publishing Advice website.

“They don’t know why. They cannot know why. They have no control, no data, no asset, and no way to leverage years of work and investment,” she wrote. “The only way to avoid this fate is to build your own piece of publishing real estate on the internet.”

ALLi has developed a “Support an Indie Author” digital badge for members to post on their sites to remind their audiences that they don’t make a lot of money from the books they write.

“As authors, we often underestimate the influence we can have with readers,” Ross added. “Help your readers to understand the changes that are happening in publishing, why that is positive for you, and how they can become part of it.”

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